Multilingual and Migrant Education Newsletter - June 12, 2025

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Oregon Department of Education - Oregon achieves - together

Multilingual and Migrant Education Newsletter 

June 12, 2025

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Updates from the Oregon Department of Education


Table of Contents

Updates from the Oregon Department of Education

1. Salem-Keizer: MEP Graduation Celebration / Celebración de Graduación MEP, Clase 2025

2. Informational Update: OSSB June Scheduled Release Underway

3. ELPA Informational Webinar Slides and Q&A Available

4. Honoring Student Proficiency Renewal Approved 

News and Resources for Multilingual and Migrant Education

1. Secretary Read Invites Oregonians with Dual Language Proficiency to Apply for the Translation Advisory Council, Apply by June 30

Upcoming Events, Training & Conference Opportunities

1. Webinar: MSIX Strengthen Data Management and Compliance Practices, June 17, 2025 (Repost)

2. Webinar: WestEd's Out-of-School Youth, June 18, 2025 (Repost)

3. Save the Date: Upcoming Migrant Education Program Events 2025


Oregon Department of Education Updates to Field

1. Salem-Keizer: MEP Graduation Celebration / Celebración de Graduación MEP, Clase 2025

Women on a decorated stage speaking

The event featured a keynote address from Liliana Landa-Villalba, a former migratory student and now the Chemeketa Community College TRIO Program Director.

 On May 16th, North Salem High School hosted a special celebration honoring the accomplishments of our migratory seniors graduating this year. Our director, Mary Martinez-Wenzl, and Yuliana Kenfield, Title IC Migrant Education Grant Manager at the Oregon Department of Education, were proud to join students, families, and community members in recognizing this important milestone.

This year, 71 migratory seniors from seven school districts were honored for their achievements. Families gathered to celebrate the dedication, perseverance, and hard work of these students, making it a memorable evening filled with pride and community spirit. We can’t wait to see all the great things the Class of 2025 will accomplish next!

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2. Informational Update: OSSB June Scheduled Release Underway

Processing has begun for Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy and Multiliteracy (OSSB/M) requests submitted on or prior to 6/1/25.

  • Materials for most districts should arrive within one week of submission to the printer.
    • The first batch was sent to the printer on 6/3/25 and should arrive by 6/7/25.
    • ODE is contacting districts with submission errors. Error correction batches will be sent to the printer as necessary through 6/6/25. Materials in error correction batches should arrive by 6/13/25.
    • As a reminder, all required fields must be completed for requests to be honored. For example, a street address alone is insufficient; the printer also needs city, state, and zip code to successfully mail materials.
  • Please consult the OSSB Manual for who to contact with questions or concerns regarding OSSB/M materials.

  • The next scheduled release will begin processing on the first working day after 9/15/25.

Contact Ben Wolcott, OSSB Coordinator, with questions about the Seal of Biliteracy.

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3. ELPA Informational Webinar Slides and Q&A Available

The 2025-26 ELPA Informational Webinar presentation and the ELPA Screener Webinar FAQ for the May sessions have been posted in the Resources accordion of the English Language Proficiency Assessment page. Minor errors noted in the May sessions slide deck have been corrected. As a reminder, the slides are scripted, so key information is available even those who did not attend the webinars.

Contact Ben Wolcott, ELPA Specialist, with questions about the Seal of Biliteracy.

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4. Honoring Student Proficiency Renewal Approved 

The Oregon Department of Education’s request to renew the policy currently titled Honoring Student Proficiency on the HS ELPA Summative was granted by the US Department of Education (USDoE).

  • USDoE approved the following elements:
    • Continue policy through 2028-29 school year (four-year approval; after this time ODE will need to request another renewal).
    • Extend policy to include grades 6-8.
    • Extend policy to include the Alt ELPA (grades 6-8 and grades 9-12).
    • “Freeze” carried domains or modalities in place so that the proficiency level for a carried domain or modality cannot be pulled down by performance in other domains/modalities on future tests.
  • The guidance document Honoring Student Proficiency on the HS ELPA Summative will be updated to reflect this renewal.

Contact Ben Wolcott, ELPA Specialist, with questions about the ELPA testing, Mason Rivers, Special Education Assessment Specialist, with questions about Alt ELPA testing and Kim Miller, Title III Specialist, with questions about Title III or the EL Data Collection.

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News and Resources for Multilingual and Migrant Education

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1. Secretary Read Invites Oregonians with Dual Language Proficiency to Apply for the Translation Advisory Council, Apply by June 30

Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read is inviting community members with dual language skills to help make elections more accessible by serving on the Translation Advisory Council (TAC). The Council is currently seeking applicants who can read and write in Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Spanish, Somali, or Vietnamese. Those interested are encouraged to apply by June 30 for consideration in filling current vacancies. Click here to learn more and apply online!

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Upcoming Events, Training and Conference Opportunities

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1. Webinar: MSIX Strengthen Data Management and Compliance Practices, June 17, 2025 (Repost)

On June 17, 2025, from 10:00–11:00 AM (PT), WestEd’s Migrant Education Services (MES) team will host an MSIX Webinar for Migrant Education Program (MEP) professionals seeking to strengthen data management and federal compliance practices. The session will address key topics, including setting up state hierarchies for move notices, reconciling child counts, accurately reporting new three-year-olds, and responding to common MSIX questions. Participants will receive practical strategies to improve data quality, support academic tracking, and enhance program reporting. Click here to register for this event.

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2. Webinar: WestEd's Out-of-School Youth, June 18, 2025 (Repost)

Join WestEd on June 18, 2025, at 11:00 AM in this compelling session which will offer valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by out-of-school youth (OSYs), along with practical strategies to support recruitment efforts and provide meaningful services. Through personal stories and reflections, former OSYs will share their experiences, highlighting both the barriers they faced and the role the Migrant Education Program played in their success. Additional details are available in the attached flyer. Click here to register for this event or view the flyer.

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3. Save the Date: Upcoming Migrant Education Program Events 2025

MEP events are scheduled for September – October 2025. Additional details will be shared soon.

Calendar showing event datesOctober calendar with list of event dates

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Make an Impact: Send Us Your Newsletter Ideas!

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If you have content or stories you’d like featured in our newsletter, we want to hear from you! Whether it’s an article, event, or an inspiring story, your contributions add depth to our discussions. Please send your submissions and ideas to Estephany Membreno, Administrative Specialist, and you may see your content in an upcoming publication.

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Contact Us

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For questions or assistance, the Multilingual and Migrant (MME) team is available to support you. Please contact us via email for further information.


Hector Aguirre, Migrant Education Title IC Specialist

Mirela Blekic, Education Program Specialist, ELL / Bilingual Education 

Diego Contreras-Medrano, Research Analyst

Jennifer Fontana, Multilingual Education Specialist

Yuliana Kenfield, Migrant Education Title IC Specialist

Mary Martinez-Wenzl, Director of Multilingual & Migrant Education Team

Estephany Membreño, Administrative Specialist II

Kim Miller, Title III Education Specialist

Reza Norouzian, Multilingual Education Research Analyst

Natalia Piar, Multilingual & Migrant Education Team Coordinator

Baeli Smith, Education Program Specialist

 

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Explore the Multilingual and Migrant Education team webpage to discover more about our initiatives, impact and resources.


You were added to this newsletter if you are part of the Migrant Education Program and/or the Title III English Learner listserv. Migrant Ed and Title III leaders, staff, and interested members of the public may subscribe to this newsletter through ODE's QuickSubscribe portal at any time. We thank you for serving Oregon's multilingual and migrant students.

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